Shop

Kia steams ahead with 100,000th Sorento

Kia is setting up the streamers and the champagne is on ice. The 100,000th Sorentocrossover just went home with a new owner and it marks the first U.S.-built Kia vehicle to pass that milestone. For the past 11 months, the Sorento has been the brand's sales leader and it was only a matter of time before 100,000 of the crossovers took up residence in American driveways.

The Kia Sorento is built at Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, which is located in city of West Point. It shares the facility with the Hyundai Sante Fe. KMMG has an annual capacity of 300,000 units so perhaps the 100,000th sale is just the beginning of many more Sorento sales for the United States.

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 10, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today celebrated the sale of its 100,000th Sorento CUV, the brand's first U.S.-built vehicle from Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG) in West Point, Georgia. Since going on sale, Sorento has been Kia's best-selling vehicle for eleven consecutive months and is the first Kia vehicle to eclipse the 100,000 unit mark in the U.S. in one year.

"Selling 100,000 Sorentos over an 11-month period is an extraordinary achievement for not only the Kia brand, but our first U.S. plant as well," said Byung Mo Ahn, group president and CEO of KMA and KMMG. "This impressive sales milestone demonstrates Kia's growing brand impact in the U.S., which is a direct result of our ongoing design-led transformation which has delivered a growing stable of new generation Kia vehicles, highlighted by our best-selling Sorento, and will continue into the future with the arrival of several more exciting, stylish and fun to drive products."

The 2011 Sorento encompasses both the brand's signature design cues as well as its distinct combination of value, safety and style, offering consumers a well-equipped, well-appointed CUV with impressive horsepower suited perfectly for the fun, dynamic and discerning driver. Shortly after its debut, Sorento received a 2010 "Top Safety Pick" award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)(1).

Reported comments and users are reviewed by Autoblog staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week to determine whether they violate Community Guideline. Accounts are penalized for Community Guidelines violations and serious or repeated violations can lead to account termination.

Anonymous

Anonymous

4 Years Ago

I had the chance of renting this model Sorrento for 1 month. I can honestly say that this is one of the best CUV's i have ever tested. I can even say that this Sorrento has a better feel, more power, and durability than even my old BMW X5. I know...I know (Oh the horror!! I can't believe he just said that!!) Yeah yeah. I will tell you why I have come to that conclusion in just a few.

First of all I will 100% take this over the kissing cousin Santa Fe in a heartbeat. In fact I would even take this over the Veracruz. With that being said let me tell you about the driveability. The suspension is very solid, and i mean VERY solid. going over less than stellar roads with minor to major bumps I do not hear any suspension clunking that I am used to hearing from most vehicles, even high end vehicles. (rent one and you will understand what i am talking about).Now the engine power is definitely not something to underestimate. I honestly think Kia was being modest with the horsepower, however it's the torque that this 3.5L V6 puts out that makes it truly amazing. This engine not only is powerful but it is quite fast. I can honestly say that the 3.5L V6 truly feels much more stronger than my old X5. The cool low end grunt sound it makes reminds me of how GM multi-port FI engines of the late 80's to mid 90's sounded. Don't get me wrong it is not loud and boomy, it is actually very quiet unless you are a lead foot and like getting thrown in your seat. This 3.5 can also very easily outpace all of the BOF Ford Explorers, weather V8 or V6 at about the 3rd gear of the 6 speed automatic. It can easily keep up with my coworker's Hemi 4X4 last gen Grand Cherokee.As most will know I am not at all a fan of automatic transmissions of any form, however this is one of the first automatic transmission that just knows exactly the right gear that I want it to be in. No more of that guessing feel where when you are going up on hills the gear it chooses is too high, making the vehicle feel sluggish and underpowered, then trying to compensate the bad choice by pressing a little harder on the accelerator, only to get thrown in your seat from the automatic choosing too low of a gear. I've known Kia's to be pretty good about selecting the right gear on hills in the past with previous Optima's and Sorrento's.Now some people are wondering about interior space. Well from the start it already feels like there is more space in this Sorrento than a Santa Fe and even my old X5, not to mention...The Big Winning Factor...It DOES have a 3rd row foldaway seat that folds away very neatly and flat for luggage, groceries, or your 42" flat screen plasma that you are begging to get for Christmas. The 2nd row seats also fold away. This vehicle does seat 7, unlike the Santa Fe and my old X5.Durability on this Sorrento is truly amazing. The sheet metal feels stronger and well engineered than the previous gen Jeeps, with exception to the Ranger. When you get inside the Sorrento the fit and finish truly makes most other domestic CUV's and SUV's feel almost 3rd world in quality difference. Don't believe me? Rent one for at least 2 weeks and you, like me, will be considering one for yourself in the future. The rental agencies tell me that they are getting a lot customers who love this vehicle and have changed their mindset on Korean vehicles.You don't have to take my word for it. Try renting one for yourselves. You, like me, will be almost completely shocked out of your mind saying "this is a Kia??"

Anonymous

Anonymous

4 Years Ago

After waiting in vain for a diesel Forester, I gave in to my wife and we bought a Sorento last month. It is just fantastic. My wife loves the looks, I love the drivetrain and we both love the comfortable interior. The interior equipment, fit and finish is way beyond anything close in price. Period. I don't see us using the third row seats, but they are standard on the V6 and the bonus is A/C in the "way back" for the dog.

Anonymous

Anonymous

4 Years Ago

To anyone posting anything negative, the H/K group has a serious group of paid posters who will damn anything you say, no matter how accurate or truthful. They are out in force as you can see by their existing posts. Apparently the idea is to be so negative or hateful that they run everyone else off leaving only "wonderful and honest evaluations." BS!!

Anonymous

4 Years Ago

I admit that I'm Kia biased at the moment, sorry... but I'm not fond of Hyundai... I know that doesn't make sense... but I just view Kias as more affordable and handsome... Hyundais are just swoopy aesthetic nightmares, lately.

Personally, I drive a Nissan, and have owned other various Japanese and American cars, but never anything Korean... and I view older Kias and Hyundais as depressing, corner-cut loss-leaders... test drove an eight-year-old Elantra and I felt miserable inside it.

I guess it just fill me with joy when I see a company accomplish such an amazing turnaround... and with so many ugly news cars coming from so many manufacturers, I find it to be a duty to point out when a company still produces good looking cars.

Anonymous

Anonymous

4 Years Ago

Kia's gotten so good, they're firmly and competitively entrenched in the refreshing-leapfrog game that the top manufacturers have been playing for a long time. They're matching blows with the big boys... impressive considering where Kia was not 20 years ago.